


Tutoring

by MollyBriana



Category: Star Trek
Genre: F/M, Reader-Insert, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-02
Updated: 2014-02-02
Packaged: 2018-01-10 21:54:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1164986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MollyBriana/pseuds/MollyBriana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slight SpockxReader. You're having trouble on an O chem homework assignment, and a certain Commander takes notice...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tutoring

You sighed in frustration as you erased an equation out of your notebook. Your eraser was worn down to a nub and the phantom prints of your previous attempts marked up the page. You put your pencil down and ran your fingers through your (h/c) hair, then took another look at the equation you needed to find the solution to.

You already had your degree in engineering, as well as a position on the state of the art ship the USS Enterprise. So, if you already had your education out of the way and a permanent position on the best starship in the fleet, why go to all the trouble of getting a science degree as well? You see, your boss, Scotty, had instructed you and a few of your coworkers to do general maintenance on some weaponry that was mandatory for every red shirt to know. You were testing the repaired weapons in one of the training rooms when the ammunition for your gun ran out. It wasn’t tested enough to meet safety requirements, so you mixed a few things together to synthesize your own make shift rubbery bullets. Needless to say, it had been a huge success, and you gained interest in inventing new types of ammunitions for Starfleet Weaponry. Unfortunately, there was no way you’d be allowed near one of the labs if you didn’t at least obtain a degree in science. So, here you were, taking online classes so you can begin a new and exciting chapter in your career. That is, if you could pass Organic Chemistry.

There were a few things that made you stand out to Commander Spock. First was the notebook you were almost glaring at. Why were you using an old fashioned notebook, and what was written on it that baffled you? Furthermore, why were you working on it in the dining hall while your barely touched meal was getting cold? Being half-Vulcan, he tried to ignore the way your (h/l) hair was slightly messy from running your fingers through it so many times, or the way your red uniform practically made your (s/c) skin glow. He decided to walk over, telling himself that it was solely to help you solve your current conundrum.

“Ensign (l/n), what seems to be trouble you?” Spock asked as he walked up to your table.

“Commander Spock,” you greeted and stood up to salute him. He only nodded and placed his hands behind his back as he looked down at your notebook.

“It’s Organic Chemistry. I’m working on receiving a degree in the sciences, but am struggling with this assignment,” you answered.

He holds a hand out, silently asking permission, and you happily hand your notebook over. Aside from being one of the best at what he does, he programmed the Kobiashi Miru for crying out loud, you always had a liking for the human-Vulcan hybrid, and respected him very much. It was a trait of yours that did not go unnoticed in his eyes.

“You seemed to have switched this part of the equation to be backwards,” he concluded as he looked over your most recent attempt. “That, and a good number of your conversions are incorrect.”

You couldn’t help but flush from embarrassment at your simple mistakes. Organic Chemistry really wasn’t your subject, but you were excelling in everything else. It figured that the Commander would be the one to see you failing miserably, and not doing well in everything else asked of you. It made you feel insignificant and slightly ashamed.

“Thank you, Commander,” you said with a sigh and took your notebook back. You sat down once again and quickly redid your work, making sure to go as far as triple checking it.

“Correct,” Spock stated as he glanced at your answer. You smiled lightly and relaxed, feeling your earlier embarrassment begin to dissipate. You transferred the work on your paper to your personal PADD, and submitted it to the appropriate homework folder.

When you were done, you looked up to see Spock still standing there. His hands were still behind his back, and his eyes seemed to be studying you. It made you feel like dozens of little fuzzy caterpillars were shuffling around in your stomach, and you shifted ever so slightly as if it would let you escape from his gaze.

“Why do you use a traditional notebook?” he asked curiously.

You shrugged. “It’s easier to work with, and it helps me learn from my mistakes better. On the PADD, the moment I punch in a wrong number, it tells me. It’s good for checking work, but figuring out where you went wrong, and doing it efficiently, is a skill needed in engineering and science. I think that the auto-check system for these assignments hinders the development of that skill,” you explained.

“You are quite intelligent, Ensign,” Spock stated.

You smiled as the feeling of those pesky caterpillars returned. “Thank you, Commander.”

“However, it appears that you have difficulty in this particular subject. If you would like, I can be your personal tutor while we’re not on duty. You’ve proven to me that you can do it, and I’d be more than willing to help,” Spock suggested.

Your face lit up at the offer. One on one time with the Commander? It didn’t matter that it would strictly be professional or constantly chemistry oriented, it was still a major honor. By now, your caterpillars had metamorphosed into full grown butterflies. You clutched your notebook and PADD to your chest and nodded, almost a bit too eagerly. You couldn’t help but notice a smile attempting to form at the corners of the Commander’s lips, but he quickly forced his muscles to relax back to their stoic expression.

“The next time you require assistance, use your personal comm to contact me. I must return to the bridge, I bid you well for the rest of your work,” he said, gave you a singular nod, then left.

You bit your lip in disbelief of what just happened. You were thrilled about how one simple chemistry problem now guaranteed you alone time with Commander Spock. That wonderful feeling suddenly went away when you realized you still had fifth teen more equations to complete.


End file.
